Pork prices may rise due to deadly virus

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – BC is not issuing a warning to pork producers even though a deadly virus has showed up in Ontario.  Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) has killed millions of baby pigs in the US.

Geraldine Auston with BC Pork says the virus is not a threat to people or other animals but it could affect pork prices at your local grocery store.

“We’ve said before that we don’t mess with people’s bacon, but it is a scare.  Our farmers are all very concerned, they are on high alert… people are being very careful.”

She says there is also no concern of PED entering the food supply.

“It is a mortality issue.  What we are dealing with is trying to assist farmers in maintaining bio-security on their farm.  We have strict bio-security protocols in the hog sector.”

The Agriculture Ministry says no cases have emerged in this province but it’s ready with testing capabilities and is monitoring the situation with industry groups.

If there is suspicion of a case here, the province says it has the ability to confirm a diagnosis within 24 hours.

Yesterday, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture confirmed its first deadly case after PED was discovered at a farm in the province’s southwest.  The province’s chief veterinarian says the farm is “under control.”

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